Senate bill heads to House in effort to avoid 2nd government shutdown

The South Side of the U.S. Capitol in Washington is pictured at dusk, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018. (Sinclair Broadcast Group/Lindsey Leake)

WASHINGTON (WJLA) - Congress is trying to avoid what could become a second partial government shutdown this year.

The Senate has agreed upon a rare two-year spending plan that, if approved, would keep the government open.

The bipartisan compromise would provide the Pentagon and domestic programs with an extra $300 billion over the next two years. The bill includes billions of dollars for opioid treatment, disaster relief, infrastructure and a big boost to defense spending, but it also raises the deficit and doesn’t include a deal on immigration.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called a bill without immigration unacceptable.

During a marathon speech on the House floor Wednesday that lasted for about eight hours, she spoke in support of "Dreamers" and said she opposed the bill.

Federal funding runs out at midnight as the Senate bill heads to the House, but conservatives are expected to balk at the deal.

Just a few days ago, President Donald Trump tried to provoke a government shutdown if he didn’t get the money he needed for his border wall. Now, he’s encouraging support from both Republicans and Democrats, as the White House says he welcomes the bill even if it doesn’t have a fix on immigration.